Elena’s words were drowned out by an explosion. The logs in the wall blew apart, and large pieces of debris were sent flying. One of them hit Throp in the head, knocking him over, along with the chairs. Elena was thrown across the room by the blast, banging her head hard against the wall. As she drifted in and out of consciousness, Elena watched the men entering through the hole left in the wall. She recognised one of them, a man with an limp. Short and stocky, glasses, green shirt and pants.

* *

Responding to the sound of the explosion, Tseng went outside. Reno wanted to follow, but eyed Rufus and I.

“Go.”

Rufus gave the order. I was going to follow Reno too. I wanted to leave as soon as possible. But it was as if my feet were stuck to the floor, and I couldn’t move.

“The sound of an explosion— It’s been a while since I last heard that.”

Rufus was irritatingly calm. As for myself, my foot, which wouldn’t move, had begun to shake.

“Evan!”

I heard Kyrie’s voice in the distance.

“Evan!”

Her voice got closer.

“A woman? Don’t let her see you being so pitiful.”

Rufus approached in his wheelchair, and kicked me with his right leg. It was a pretty weak kick, but it was enough to release me from my miserable state of shock.

“Kyrie!”

I ran to the door, and went outside.

“Evan, are you alright?”

Kyrie ran up the stairs and wrapped her arms around me. I winced at the amount of information conveyed through that full-on hug.

“Yeah”

I just stood there and accepted it.

“The Idiot President!? Seriously?”

Kyrie noticed Rufus in the lodge, and let go of me. As I looked outside, Tseng gave orders to Reno and Rude, and started running toward the edge of the resort. Rude concerned himself with the entrance of the resort. Others came out of their lodges and looked around as well.

“EVERYONE, GET IN YOUR HOUSES!” Reno shouted instructions in a loud voice, then looked back at me. “I’ll leave the President to you!” he shouted.

“Is that Geostigma?”

I heard Kyrie’s voice behind me. When I looked back, she was kneeling in front of Rufus, looking up at the opponent with an anxious expression. Her right hand was placed on Rufus’ knee. I don’t like this. What are you doing, Kyrie?

“Does it hurt?”

“Sometimes.”

Rufus looked back at Kyrie and answered.

“That’s your punishment for everything up until now.”

I said from the side.

“Evan, would you say that to Vits, too?”

Kyrie scowled. I saw Rufus laughing scornfully. Pathetic. I heard the sound of an engine from outside. When I looked out, thinking we had been saved, I saw a sedan type car drive recklessly into the yard. The rear wheel scraped out the grass as the car swung around, and eventually stopped. The engine was still running. The car looked familiar. It was the one parked in the courtyard in Doyle village. I saw Reno and Rude split up, and circle their way toward the car.

“Kyrie, this is serious.”

The rear window of the car opened, and there were two flashes. Just then, sharp, loud bangs rang out. It was the sound of gunfire. Reno hid himself in behind a tree. Rude did the same.

“I’ve gonna get Throp!”

I recognised that voice.

“Kyrie, it’s Fabio.”

“No way!”

Kyrie said, right next to me. Soon, the rear door opened, and Fabio got out. His body seemed to still hurt, because he was limping. He fired three shots in succession toward the tree Reno was hiding behind.

“It was wrong to steal the medicine. But I paid the price for it. We’ll take Throp and leave. We’re even. Okay?”

His voice was slightly husky. Rude started quietly approaching Fabio from behind.

“Fabio, behind you!”

Another voice. It was the voice of the Mayor. Fabio looked back, and shot one bullet, but Rude continued walking calmly.

“I’ll shoot!”

Fabio aimed the gun.

“Sure.”

As Rude responded, Reno started walking out from the cover of the tree. Fabio hesitantly aimed at Rude, and pulled the trigger. A faint metallic click could be heard. He was out of bullets. Fabio’s panic was clear to see.

“FABIO, RUN!”

Kyrie screamed in my ear. Fabio looked up at us, and his face twisted with surprised.

“Get back in the car, Fabio!”

The Mayor shouted. Fabio was still looking at us.

“We’re alright here!”

Kyrie continued. Fabio took a step toward us, but noticed that Reno had gotten quite close, and got back in the car. As he slammed the door closed, the engine revved up and spluttered to a halt. Reno and Rude approached the car from the front and rear. They had rod-like weapons in their hands. Their vain attempts to start the engine echoed throughout the resort.

“Evan, we have to do something.”

“Yeah.”

But what can we do? Reno reached the car, and hit the windshield with with an expert swing of his weapon. There was a muffled sound as the glass broke and shattered.

“Come out with your hands up.”

Following the command, familiar faces appeared from the car, one after the other. Fabio, the Mayor, Keough, and then finally an unfamiliar face… I guess that was Throp.

“On your knees. Keep your hands up.”

Rude said. All of them did as he said, but Fabio bent his knees, and just fell to the ground. Looks like he overdid it.

“What should we do, Evan?”

I took a look outside, then looked back inside the lodge, searching for something I could do. Rufus looked down, laughing slightly. He didn’t seem fazed at all. It makes me wonder what kind of life this guy has had.

“Rufus, please, do something. This would all be over if you just give an order, right?”

Kyrie pleaded with Rufus, with her hands on his arm.

“Rufus, sir!”

Kyrie didn’t even look toward me anymore.

“Evan will do something.” Rufus looked at me and said. “There aren’t many options left, but it’s your turn to shine.” He turned his wheelchair, and moved slowly toward the door at the back. How could he leave himself so defenseless. If I attack now—

“There’s only one choice.”

I muttered as I went after Rufus, and pulled the wheelchair back. I turned him around, and pushed him out the door.

“RENO, RUDE, OVER HERE!”

I shouted out, but as I felt everyone’s eyes on me, I faltered. However, it was too late to back out now. “IF YOU VALUE THE PRESIDENT’S LIFE,” Did they value it? “MOVE AWAY FROM THE CAR!”

“Give me a break.”

Reno shook his head, and started making his way up the stairs.

“RUDE, GET AWAY FROM FABIO!”

Reno all the while got closer and closer.

“STOP!”

Reno followed my order obediently. I imagined his eyes burning with anger, but the Turk’s eyes just looked sad. To my surprise, my heart ached, but this was the only way. I put my hand in my pocket, took out the knife Kyrie gave me, and pulled out the blade. It was a pretty puny blade, but it could cut through a human’s neck.

“Don’t act like an idiot—”

I ignored him, and calmly brought the knife close to Rufus Shinra’s neck. A chill ran through my whole body, and a belch came out. I took a deep breath, and shouted outside.

“MAYOR! THERE’S A TRUCK PARKED JUST OUTSIDE THE RESORT! IT’S A SHIN-RA TRUCK! BRING IT HERE!”

“OKAY!”

The Mayor seemed to understand that the tables had been turned, as he shouted back in a firm voice, then ran off.

“Reno. Go check the state of the lab with Rude. Tell Tseng not to intervene.”

Rufus suddenly gave orders.

“Seriously!?”

“I value my life.”

Reno reluctantly went down the stairs, looking back many times.

“Your name was Kyrie, right?”

Rufus asked, keeping an eye on the yard.

“Kyrie Canaan.”

Kyrie answered, looking confused.

“There’s a gun in the pocket of my gown. Take it.”

She looked at Rufus in surprise. He placed both hands on his stomach, and gently crossed his fingers. If he stretched out his hand, it would reach the pocket. That meant I could have been killed. As if also realizing that, Kyrie quickly took out the gun.

“There are a few boxes of ammo in the back room. Take those too.”

Kyrie nodded to me, and went into the back room.

“Why?”

I asked inadvertently.

“You’re going back, right? There are quite a few of monsters in the wasteland. That knife won’t be much help.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I’ll let you take credit for this, but that’s all. I won’t hold back if there’s a next time. Even if we are related by blood…”

“Found them!”

Just as Kyrie came back, the sound of an engine rang loudly through the yard.

“Now, get going.”

“—Get well soon.”

Said Kyrie, who seemed to be searching for the right words. Then, she whispered to me saying, “Evan, let’s go,” and quickly exited the lodge. I had to say something too. The right words. I had to say something about our relationship, as well as something along the lines of a farewell.

“I don’t envy you.”

As I thought about how childish it was of me to say that, I waited for Rufus’ reaction.

“I figured.”

Rufus said without batting an eyelid.

“EVAN, EVERYONE’S WAITING!”

Kyrie called from the middle of the stairs. I returned the wheelchair to the middle of the room, and folded the blade of the knife, placing it on Rufus’ lap.

“That’s for the gun.”

* *

Rufus played with the knife as Evan left the Lodge. It was a small utility knife, which a child would use. The first knife Rufus held in his hand was a sample, left over from when he chose the supplies for the army. The blade was about 20 centimetres long. He tried to imagine living a life like Evan and Kyrie, but as expected, he wasn’t able to.